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Thu 10 Apr, 2003 01:10 pm
While doing some research in Abuzz to find the answer to a puzzle from a year or more ago, I came across two interesting items. I don't think the people who posted them over there will mind if I share them here:
The first is a brainteaser posted by BillyFalcon (I'll post the other one separately):
During WWII, the British were losing lots of Spitfire fighters to German anti-aircraft gunfire. The knew the planes could fly with a bit more armor than they had, but they were not sure were the extra armor should go - so they commissioned an expert for advice.
The expert ordered that the bottoms of all returning Spitfires be photographed.
The photos showed the damage done by the shells.
He recommended adding additional armor.
Where? And why?
BTW, the second one is in a thread titled, "Can you identify who this person is?"
I really haven't a clue but I'll take a guess that it was in an area that the returning planes did not show damage as strikes in that area would be fatal and that it involved the cockpit area.
Acquiunk got the correct answer to the "where." He/she also got close to the "why."
Here is the reasoning the expert gave.
No need to put more armor on the areas where there were hits on planes that returned to base. The fact that they got back shows they were able to take hits in those areas and still remain air worthy.
He suggested more armor in the areas where there were no hits. It can be inferred that planes taking hits in those areas were knocked out of the sky by the damage.
The area under the pilot may have been one of the vulnerable places - but we really cannot tell from the information given.
That reminds me of the story in which the same problem occured with American p41 s. The wings kept falling off. So they call in all kinds of experts. One of whom was a little rabbi. His suggestion
Put perforations on the area where the wings attach the plane. Everybody knows that matzoh never breaks on the perforations.
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